A Grove of trees in the Scottish Highlands
PEACE
David Rutledge
14 December

This grove of Trees is a lasting way to remember David’s life. 6 June 1952 - 14 December 2017.

David’s love of languages led to teaching languages and connected him to travelling to many countries and making friendships outside of America. He continued learning more languages throughout his life. He energetically Morris danced for 40 years with Minnesota Traditional Morris and Ramsey's Braggarts Morris Men, latterly he began practicing with Holt Morris ready to dance out in 2018. As a lifelong cyclist he cycled huge distances in many countries. He continued dancing and cycling all his life. He was lively, fun and sociable, the life and soul of the party singing at Sea Shanty Sings, playing fiddle in Folk sessions and for the Bell’s Angels ladies morris dancers in England. Yet he was also quietly studious, thoughtful, passionate about current affairs and sensitive about doing the right thing in caring for the natural world around him. He was tolerant, thoughtful, kind and gentle as a friend.

Morris dance Memorials and Folk music and song sessions were held for him in Holt village, England and St Paul, MN, USA. A Quarter Peal of Bells ”David Delight“ was dedicated to David and rung from St Andrew’s Church, Cromhall village, Wotton-under-Edge, Cotswolds, England on January 3rd 2018. The bells rang out in the evening from the 13th-14th century English church out over the beautiful English Cotswolds countryside under a bright moonlit sky as a beautiful celebration of his life. More is remembered of this remarkable man than can be written here.

The trees planted for him will quietly grow as a beautiful peaceful presence.  One of the notable things David did in his last 3 years was to pick up and clear plastic from the coastline of Donegal, Ireland, near his home. He cleared plastic pollution and arranged collections by the local council. The beaches there were pristine due solely to his efforts. He also avoided buying plastic packaging. We can follow his example and care for our planet and these trees do just that.